PATIENT RULES LACKING IN NEW MEDICINAL POT LAW

State to Soon Outline a Program Explaining Patients' Rights

Madison Heights --Bob Redden says he thought he was doing the right
thing when he went to a medical clinic in Southfield to get paperwork
to qualify for medical marijuana.

Redden, 59, said he suffers from bone disease and two deteriorating
hips, and was told medical marijuana would ease his pain. But on
Monday, when Madison Heights police smashed open the front door of
his house with a battering ram and seized 21 marijuana plants from a
back room, Redden wondered what he had done wrong.

"They stole my plants and my money," Redden said. "We are devastated.
The door is torn up. They treated me like I was a criminal. I can't
believe this is happening to me. I was assured by my doctor this
medical marijuana was going to help and they assure me this is legal."

Police in this Oakland County suburb acknowledged Wednesday they
don't know whether Redden broke the law, since health officials have
yet to lay out complete rules under the Michigan's new medical
marijuana laws. The state is expected to outline the program Saturday.

"We did execute a search warrant and we did confiscate marijuana
plants," Police Chief Kevin Sagan said. "The dilemma for law
enforcement is we don't have those rules yet."

Sagan said the suspect provided paperwork to officers with the name
of a doctor whom police are trying to verify.

Redden's decision to cultivate, possess and use medical marijuana
does appear to be premature, according to preliminary state
guidelines which say users must obtain a permit from the state for
medical marijuana. State regulators will begin accepting
applications for permits Saturday.

The card, which has a picture ID, costs $100 and allows patients to
legally possess 2.5 ounces of marijuana or grow 12 marijuana plants
in a locked, enclosed area.

Redden, who said he is on Social Security and disability for his
health problems, said he obtained his "certification" for medical
marijuana from a doctor at the nonprofit Hemp and Cannabis Foundation
in Southfield.

Paul Stanford, the foundation CEO, said everyone who comes to the
clinic is told verbally and in writing that what they have is an
affirmative defense to the new law.

Redden said some of the plants belong to his girlfriend, who suffers
from cancer and also has the proper paperwork to possess medical marijuana.

"I don't know what we are going to do," he said. "We have no medicine now."